Foreign Service Officer
Wayne
“I think that, you know, the skills that you acquire in a lot of other fields are relevant to what we do in management. I come from a pretty diverse background. I was in the Marine Corps. I was in Sales and Marketing both for soft drinks and wine beverages, and every day I feel as if I’m selling somebody something.”
Victor
“And one of the great things about the economic track is that you’re in a position to be the eyes and ears of the government and help to explain the crises that are unfolding. If you get it right, if you cam diagnose the problem correctly, then you can lead to some good solutions.”
Uzra
“I think working for the State Department is something for people who are looking to have a direct impact and I think one of the greatest things we do as State Department employees, no matter what your track or position is, is representing the United States and what we stand for and making connections — with people all over the world.”
Tom
“I’ve always wanted to join the Foreign Service because you’re away from the norms and the values that you’re accustomed to. You learn to try to adapt to the environment that you’re in while retaining who you are at the core and advocating for the United States.”
Todd
“You can have a huge impact on advancing U.S. foreign policy goals, and international security goals from within the economic track. It’s not a career that you have to have a specialized education for, or a special interest in foreign cultures or something. You need to have a desire to serve your country.”
Terry
“I selected consular work because I really like working with people and I found particularly the American Citizens Services portion of that work to be particularly fascinating. And I’m glad I selected that track because, working overseas, I believe the most rewarding work that any Foreign Service Officer has is assisting Americans overseas.”
Tania
“I’ve picked up skills about how to present a complex policy, how to study a language in a very specialized way, and how to manage the people who will help me do my job. Openness to culture, both the State Department’s culture and a foreign culture, really set you off on a great foot when you come into the Foreign Service.”
Sandy
“I was a lawyer by training and I did child abuse and neglect cases. And that was part of the reason why when I joined the Foreign Service, I learned about the Office of Children’s Issues, and really wanted to work there. I thought this was something I’d like to do and would be good at. It turned out to be true.”